


I Need You Like Water

by MedHeadsUnite



Series: I Can't Take This Any Longer (I Need, I Need You Like Water) [1]
Category: Chicago Med
Genre: F/M, Fire Friendly, HalsteadTimesTwo, Multi, OrIsItTimesFOUR...?, PD Partners
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-14
Updated: 2020-01-17
Packaged: 2020-12-16 01:01:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 2,886
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21027671
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MedHeadsUnite/pseuds/MedHeadsUnite
Summary: It's right as she gets up to get ready for the #ManvisWedding.....That Natalie remembers EVERYTHING.





	1. It's Ten Til Two (Still Up Thinkin' Of You)

**Author's Note:**

> I couldn't even do it. As much as I wanted to, the whole "leave him at the altar" thing was a bit too empathetic for me.
> 
> But there will be Hero Halstead. Because I LOVE the way he loves her.

The Truth?

Natalie was slowly starting to recall things that had been escaping her.

But as her wedding day to Phillip had finally arrived?

The things she'd yet to recall after that near fatal auto accident came rushing back.

Like a damn tidal wave.

She let the recall happen, allowing for the memories to slowly replay themselves like a highlight reel in her head.

But as the image of someone's left hand stopped cycling around, she realized it was HERS.

She recalled, immediately why the outfit the woman was wearing seemed so familiar.

It was an ensemble that she owned. the outfit was hers!

But all she could focus on was the image of her left hand.

Her RINGLESS left hand.

She stood in her kitchen, and frantically sent a group text to Hailey, Adam, Jay and Will.

"I REMEMBER EVERYTHING. I REMEMBER! I NEED YOUR HELP!"

Jay and Hailey turned around, rushing toward Natalie's apartment, Will in the back of their car.

Adam lived about a mile away, so he turned to Gallo, "Blake?"

Gallo noticed the distressed look on Adam's face, "I don't work today, at least not A shift, we switched shifts, I'll be here, and I'll lock behind you."

Adam Ruzek was never a track standout, but he ran faster than he ever had in his entire life, his phone and wallet securely in the inside jacket of his pocket.

That's the thing about heroism. Sometimes you're on the other side, but right as Adam hit the block and turned, Hailey parks.

"Oh damn, I've never been happier to see you all in my entire life!" he gasps, "Will, left hip."

He turns to find Hailey removing a small pistol, "It's fully loaded."

"I can't believe you, what are you doing? Really, it's our wedding day!" Phillip shouts, Owen and Sophie with Carol and Lou.

"No, it's not, you lied to me!" she points, shooting him a death glare, "You were banking on the fact that my memory loss might have ended up permanent. No wonder I had this unsettling feeling about the 'engagement'," she glares harder, "It NEVER HAPPENED! you may have had every intention of asking, but you know why it never happened? Because Ingrid interrupted us, you never got the chance to ask me!"

Philip's eyes went dark, Will appearing behind him.

He froze at the look in her eyes, slowly turning, "Get out."

"Not without her," he spits out, a glare on his face.

She's counting to ten, then past it so she doesn't panic. 

And then as Jay and Hailey silently breach, a scream.

Will pales, Hailey takes a breath, and Jay groans, "Don't do this..."

She doesn't freak out, her brother's voice appearing in her head steadying her heart rate and helping her to keep her cool. She was never more grateful for self defense courses through her high school and college years than she was right now. "Don't panic," CJ's voice entered her head again, "It's just a knife, breathe Buggy, just breathe."

"Just don't move to the right love," he hisses menacingly in her ear, slowly rotating the knife in his hand around her carotid artery.

Will lets Hailey holster the CPD issued weapon, sliding Hailey's pistol back into her hands, "Phillip," Hailey shakes her head.

Adam appears, the front door now wide open.

"You got the shot?"

"Negative, Sarge, that's- if I shoot that could end up bad for all of us. He may pull the trigger, I have to be careful," Kevin calls out.

Hank growls, "Damnit, this girl can't catch a damn break for once in her life?"

Maggie leaps out, knowing she's far enough from the scene to avoid being seen, "Sergeant.."

"It's active, you need to stay here," he frowns.

"I'm damn near about to croak anyway, but I get it," Maggie lets out a wry smile, "I'm just glad her parents have the kids. Listen, you radio me back in as soon as it's over?"

"Yeah, of course."

What happens when our fears become real, when the regret sinks in?

And suddenly the situation escalated, "Go go go go!" Hank calls, Kevin sprinting into the house.

No one was prepared for the sight before them. Not a single solitary one of them.


	2. Timid Heart (Hide My Scars)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They heard the scream, but what happened?

Hailey sprints over, "Natalie, Natalie, drop the knife honey, drop the knife."

Phillip had been unprepared for Natalie's sudden strike to his throat, and the swift act of self defense where she had disarmed him and jammed it into his neck, "Hailey?'

"Hold on Sarge," Adam shook his head, "dispatch, we called in a disturbance earlier, roll an ambo to our location!"

"Dispatch, this is 5021 Henry, we might need the coroner here as well please?'

Natalie had finally shaken herself out of it, "I didn't have a choice, I swear to god I didn't have a choice Hailey!"

"I know honey, it's okay, we understand, we'll testify on your behalf if we have to."

Jay and Will exhaled, "Nat..."

She sprints into Will's arms, "Thank you... thank you... come with me?"

"Always," he nods.

Foster and Brett appear, Jay staying behind, "I- I'll stay with you."

Hank nods, "Yeah, I was about to ask you to stay here anyway."

Maggie sprints over as Natalie enters on a gurney, "He's gone...."

Marcel sees the blood on her hands, "what did you know?'

He sighs, "Quite a bit, but you, you remember?'

"I confronted him," she's shaking, "he went batshit crazy and put a knife to my neck, he didn't know that I'd essentially been trained in hand to hand combat because my brother was in the military, I flipped it around and jammed it into his neck, I killed him...."

"Jesus Natalie," Crockett whispers, "Other than obvious PTSD, are you hurt?'

"No, at least I don't think so," she gasps, the shock finally wearing off.

"Let's get her in a room," Will nods.

"On it," Dr. Marcel nods, noticing treatment room three was open, "Maggie?"

"It's been turned over, go ahead," she nods back.

Will steps in, shaking his head.

"I'm okay," she whispers, sighing through the mask.

"I know," he looks away.

She reaches for his hand, "Will, I remember what I, I remember what I was going to tell you."

He sits at her bedside, "Do I," he clears his throat loudly, "I wonder, do I want to hear this?"

She cries joyously, "Of course you do. I was starting the conversation. I remember telling you that Ingrid told me to fight for you, for us. And that's when the lights from Tim's car flashed. But I didn't get to finish my statement."

He takes her hands in his, "I wanted to tell you that I was being really stubborn, and that I was deeply sorry for letting my ego and pride get in the way. I know you're only as overprotective as you are because you care. That's part of the reason I fell in love with you. I wanted to tell you," she takes a deep breath.

He does the same, his eyes riddled with fear and his heart jumping into his throat.

"I wanted to tell you that I was coming to ask you if you were willing to start over. I still, I still love you and."

She's cut off by a kiss.

"Yes," he nods his head vigorously, "But listen I."

"I know, I was terrified too, but I get it now, what you were going through," she holds him close.

"It's not just that," he whispers, "I need to give you time to heal, but I promise to be there. I won't hover this time."

"Just be patient, and well, there's going to be times I need you to hover."

He laughs wryly, "Be careful what you wish for Dr. Manning, I tend to hover a lot when it comes to the people that I love."

"I love you," she whispers softly, smiling as brightly as she could given the gravity of the recent situation.

"I never stopped," he whispers back, kissing her gently on the forehead.

Jay crosses his arms, a twinkle in his eyes, "Does this mean?'

"I think of all the things to happen that would end up with us back together? A near death experience would probably be it," Will laughs.

Natalie groans, "Too soon Halstead. Too damn soon."

"It's never too soon for humor, god I missed you two," Jay laughs.

"I'm okay," she tells the veteran police detective.

"Good, because I wouldn't have been able to live with myself if you'd been hurt today," Jay exhales.

"Shaken up, but she's a tough cookie," Will grins.

Natalie sighs happily.

"Overnight?' 

Dr. Marcel nods, "Yeah, I have a feeling he's not going anywhere."

"Neither one of us is, so," Jay begins.

"I'll grab a cot for you," he nods.

"Thanks," Jay nods back.

It was a long night, Natalie tossing and turning with Will reassuring her every step of the way.

Jay slept through it all, Ruzek, Burgess, Voight and Atwater keeping guard outside the door.

Natalie woke up first, smiling as she realized it was Will she was curled up against. She knew she had a long road ahead of her in regards to recovering from this traumatic event, but the thing was?

She already had overcome worse.

And she had Will standing beside her through it all.


	3. Make Me Stronger (Epilogue Part 1)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dividing the epilogue into two parts.
> 
> The first deals with Natalie's recovery after the incident that resulted in Phillip's death.

You don't really know how you'll respond to trauma until you face some.

It took Natalie nearly a full year to recover from the trauma.

Her mother and father were bicoastal, splitting their time, which was always spent together, between the family's home in Seattle and Nat and Will's new place in Lincoln Park.

The first step had been to bless and cleanse the house, "I'm just going to let him do his thing," Natalie laughs.

Jay grins, "Sometimes it's best to just let Will be Will. Hey."

She looks up into her friend's eyes, "Cut that crap out Halstead, we're both fine."

"I'm not," he admits.

Natalie hugs him, "You stood by us, both of us Jay. We really do love you, you know that?"

"You guys are everything to me," he hugs her, "I hope you know that."

The end of the year saw Natalie and Will approved by the state, and Sophie adjusted quickly to life as a member of the Halstead family. Owen was naturally protective of his sister, and Will understood.

They were out to dinner at Gibson's one night when suddenly right as Will stood up, Natalie dropped to her knees and looked up, a grin on her face.

He gasped, in the box was a signet ring, with the Halstead family crest in the middle, "yes!" 

Will is laughing, and he finally opens the box that he was holding, "I had a similar idea apparently, but it's a combination."

A chuckling Stella Kidd stood behind the bar, "Look at that babe."

Kelly let out a piercing whistle, "Hey! Congratulations you two, it's about damn time!"

Maggie smirks from her spot next to Stella, "I agree. But you know me, forever biased."

Natalie wiggles her finger, "Put it on my finger already, you goof!"

He throws his head back in laughter, doing as requested, "My turn."

He holds his hand out, grinning as she puts it on, "God I love you."

"So," she slides her arms around him, 'How are we doing take two?"

"I just want to marry you," he whispers, "I don't care how we do it."

"City Hall?" she supplies.

"Perfect," he whispers.

"Ya know what would be perfect? Hey! I asked for permission to have a celebration at Molly's, it's closed, but I got a special permit approved by the PD! Let's go!"

Herrmann grins, "Also."

Natalie blinks, "Jay Halstead, who did you bribe?"

"Actually," a familiar gravelly voice laughs, "I rented this tonight. Congratulations you two. It really is about time we saw you get married."

"Keys?" Jay grins.

Natalie slides him her car keys, "Park it at the house please."

"I will. I'll secure the keys too, I've got both rideshare apps on my phone."

"See you later little brother," she beams.

They hop into the Corsair, laughing as Burgess appears, "What? Like Maggie and I weren't coming?"

"Kim, I can't partake, I may have to be the designated for these two tonight."

"Hey we've got kids at home!" Will shakes his head.

"No, they're with my mother, apparently," Natalie blinks at the text from Carol.

"Maggie did I mention I'm glad you're here with us tonight? Please be our designated driver?"

Natalie snickers in amusement at her best friend's unenthused face, "Or our designated wrangler, Game on Halstead."

"Oh, you're asking for it Natalie," Will snorts.

"Now now, you two will not get crazy today, Natalie, we agreed not to repeat the frat row debacle from your first year of medical school a long time ago," Lou spoke up with a warning look.

"Uh---" she stammers in shock, "Dad, Hey... I didn't see you there!"

"I never get made," he smirks, "But seriously Nat."

"Okay, okay," the brunette throws her hands up, "But that means you have to pay attention and make sure we get cut off if things start heading south."

"Deal!" the elder Conte reaches out to shake his youngest daughter's hand.

"Poor Nat," Maggie chuckles, "Hi Lou."

"Hi Maggie, how are you feeling?"

"I think I need to be with these two tonight, it keeps me from thinking about it. But we're managing the pain as well, and as naturally as we possibly can. I've altered my diet considerably as well, so, it's helping a great deal according to the team that's in charge of my care."

"You're in the best hands ever," Natalie grins.

Voight smiles, no words from him were really needed.

"You my dear are undeniably biased," Maggie playfully rolls her eyes.

"Uh, shall I give you the regional and state rankings of our oncology department? Nat knows, believe me," Will smiles.

"Are we talking the unit within the oncology department that's working with her, or pediatric oncology?" Burgess fires back with a wicked grin.

"Hey now, easy over there!" Nat shakes her head, trying not to smile.

Kim smirks, "God I miss annoying the hell out of you."

Nat sighs, "You're lucky I'm too happy."

Will pulls her close, "I love you."

"Now let's go celebrate!" Lou nods his head.

"How can you not agree to that?" Voight says.

The group smiled, finally, things were going perfectly.


	4. Just Your Love (And Not Another) Part 1.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> And finally... #TheMansteadWedding

"Any witnesses?" the clerk asked.

"Yeah," Will beamed, Jay stepping up in his dress blues.

Jay whipped around as April glowered from the double doors, "No way!"

"Not without ME!" Owen cried out, Carol shaking her head.

"I knew we forgot someone," Natalie giggles.

Will laughs, "All right you. Come here."

Owen laughs, leaping into Will's arms.

"Well then," the clerk nods.

And just like that, Natalie had gone from Ms. Manning to Mrs. Halstead. 

"And just like that," she whispers.

"... We're the Doctors Halstead," he whispers in awe, a tear of joy streaming down his face, "We did it...."

She leans up to kiss him with all the love in her heart, "I love you...."

"So much," he whispers, resuming the tenderly passionate kiss.

"Well come on, it's time for the reception!"

They turn to look at April, "What?"

"Yeah," Maggie mumbled, "Like we're not going to celebrate you two finally marrying each other."

Natalie beams, "You made it."

"Of course I did, I trained both April and Doris to be charge nurses just in case," Maggie smiles, "Doris is tough, but she's easygoing."

"She's doing a fantastic job," April agrees, "And thankfully, the last class from Rush had as many nurses as doctors. We're lucky that way. Also, Monique's there too."

"We are in good hands," Natalie nods.

Will squeezes her gently, "Where to?"

"Where else?"

They look at their friends, "To Molly's we go."

And there it goes. Nat and Will, for all of time.


	5. Just Your Love (And Not Another) Part 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bonus: The reception.

"Hey look, there's our favorite newlyweds!" Stella calls out from behind the bar.

"Hey, so," Herrmann playfully glares, "You best find a crown somewhere, because you just married a queen."

"I hear ya, Herrmann," Will laughed, knowing the veteran firefighter was giving Will a warning out of love. He couldn't blame him, Natalie had that way about her where everyone was charmed by her.

Herrmann grins, "Good,I was hoping you knew that I wasn't serious about all of that."

"Just the marrying royalty part," Natalie grins, leaning over to kiss Will on the cheek.

He rose a brow, "We have idle hands."

"Beer me, two please," Natalie nods with a smile.

"Goose Island Natural just got here," He takes two glasses and fills them from the tap, "Enjoy, this one's on the house."

"Cheers," the couple raises their glasses in an appreciative toast.

He half expects her to stay glued to his side.

And she does.

As they mingle with their friends and celebrate their union, all Will could do was look at her in awe.

After everything they'd been through, the universe made it happen.

She catches his eye, "You okay?"

"Yeah," he looks around for a moment, taking it all in, "Yeah, everything's perfect, even when it isn't."

She kisses him gently, "I can't help but agree."


End file.
